Scowcroft Center Commentary, Analysis, & Reports

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New Atlanticist

Sep 7, 2011

American Dream or Americans Dreaming?

By Harlan Ullman

Sometimes, delusion, self-deception and outright denial can dominate the public’s psyche. As the U.S. economy stutters, unemployment refuses to budge and the 10th anniversary of September 11th looms, many Americans question or challenge the notion of the American Dream. For too many, that vision is, today, elusive or unobtainable. In compensation perhaps, America’s past successes […]

United States and Canada

Event Recap

Sep 7, 2011

Nordic-Baltic Security in the 21st Century: Continued Transformation Toward a Larger Role in the World?

By Adrienne Chuck

On September 7, the Atlantic Council held an all-day conference on Nordic-Baltic security, which examined key strategic challenges for the countries of the Nordic-Baltic region, how to further strengthen regional cooperation, and how the region can play a larger role in transatlantic and global security.The event also featured the release of “Nordic-Baltic Security in the […]

Northern Europe

New Atlanticist

Sep 6, 2011

Cyber Attacks Against NATO, Then and Now

By Jason Healey

Now that NATO’s Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR over Libya is winding down, it is worth noting how few cyber incidents were directed in protest against the Alliance.

Cybersecurity NATO

New Atlanticist

Sep 2, 2011

Afghan Security Faces Long-Term Challenges

By Barbara Slavin

U.S.-led efforts to build Afghan security forces capable of preventing Taliban resurgence face a series of challenges, from the reluctance of southern Pashtuns to serve in a national army, to maintaining the billions of dollars in infrastructure and equipment provided by the U.S. and other foreign countries over the past decade. Brig. Gen. Guy “Tom” […]

Afghanistan

Issue Brief

Sep 1, 2011

Learning from Libya: The right lessons for NATO

By Damon M. Wilson

“While NATO’s ‘Operation Unified Protector’ has revealed strains within the Alliance and foreshadows future challenges, the Libya operation is a great success.”  That is the conclusion of Atlantic Council Executive Vice President Damon Wilson in his Strategic Advisors Group issue brief, released as leaders of the Transitional National Council meet today in Paris with leading […]

Libya NATO
Nuclear ICBM

Issue Brief

Aug 30, 2011

Future options for NATO nuclear policy

By Jeffrey A. Larsen

The United States has maintained forward-deployed nuclear weapons in Europe for more than six decades. That may soon come to an end, argue Dr. Jeffrey A. Larsen, a retired Air Force command pilot and expert on arms control, in his Atlantic Council issue brief “Future Options for NATO Nuclear Policy.”  Unless current trends are altered, […]

Europe & Eurasia NATO

New Atlanticist

Aug 29, 2011

Thinking Outside the Bilateral Box: Global Challenges and the China-U.S. Relationship

By Banning Garrett

To foresee and help navigate the future relationship over the next 20 years and beyond between China and the United States, the two countries need to think outside the U.S.-China bilateral box. Relations between Beijing and Washington will not be determined only by bilateral issues such as Taiwan, Tibet, trade, human rights, PLA military modernization, […]

China

New Atlanticist

Aug 29, 2011

Slow and Steady…and Censored?

By Riley Barnes

In the race for influence and prestige in the 21st century, Asia is divided into two burgeoning powers with very different concepts of what will win the development and world leader game. China may have better infrastructure, more universities, and fewer poor, but India represents the model of democratic and free growth. China’s quick development […]

China

New Atlanticist

Aug 24, 2011

Learning Lessons from the Splendid Little War in Libya

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

NATO’s intervention in Libya looks easy in retrospect, now that Muammar Gaddafi is on the run from victorious rebel forces. No US or NATO forces were shot down over the skies in Libya and no US boots were put on the ground. America’s European allies and partners carried a heavy share of the burden in […]

Libya

New Atlanticist

Aug 23, 2011

Libya Not NATO Comeback

By Kurt Volker

One can only cheer at what now seems to be the removal of Muammar al-Qaddafi from power, at the hands of his own long-abused people. And one must commend the NATO special forces and air power — particularly from Britain, France, and the United States — which helped bring about this outcome.

Libya NATO

New Atlanticist

Aug 18, 2011

Defining the Defense Problem in an Age of Austerity

By Derek Reveron

With the intent to reduce the US defense budget over the next ten years by $350 billion, Einstein offers sage advice when thinking about major problems. “If I had only one hour to save the world, I would spend fifty-five minutes defining the problem, and only five minutes finding the solution.” The problem in this case is not […]

New Atlanticist

Aug 4, 2011

Building the Afghan National Security Force under Fire

By William B. Caldwell IV

The first tranche of geographic transition is now complete in Afghanistan; geographic transition is a positive step, but it will not be risk-free. As recent media accounts have made clear, the Taliban, Haqqani Network, and other insurgent groups seek to regain lost territory. Over the past two years, approximately 2,800 Afghan police and 1,050 Afghan soldiers […]

Afghanistan

New Atlanticist

Aug 3, 2011

An Effective, Affordable Uncommon Defense, Part 3

By Harlan Ullman

The West is in the process of drastic defense reductions, justified by the lack of existential or even serious military adversaries and catalyzed by the toughest economic times in decades. This third column on an uncommon defense argues that absent an existential threat –and draconian budget cuts may well be the only prospect to fill […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Aug 3, 2011

The Enemy of Iran’s Enemy

By Barbara Slavin

Despite the alarmist headlines, no one should have been shocked by last week’s U.S. Treasury Department designation of a Syrian based in Iran as a conduit for sending money and personnel to al Qaeda. Iran has had links to members of what became known as al Qaeda since the early 1990s, when both had a […]

New Atlanticist

Aug 2, 2011

Afghanistan and Libya Point NATO to Five Lessons

By Kurt Volker

Both the wars in Afghanistan and Libya reveal serious flaws in the Alliance. If they can’t be fixed, perhaps it’s time for a ‘back to basics’ NATO and a return to coalitions of the willing. Whether it is a matter of weeks or months, Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi will probably fall from power, and opposition forces will likely gain […]

Afghanistan Libya

New Atlanticist

Aug 1, 2011

India-Israel: BFFs or Fair Weather Friends?

By Shikha Bhatnagar

Earlier this month, India experienced the first significant terrorist attack within its borders since the horrific events of November 26, 2008 (“26/11”). Although no conclusive evidence of perpetrators has been found to date and clues strongly suggest homegrown elements, the news clips, blogospheres, and twitter-universe were abuzz with conjectures on what India’s actions would and […]

India Israel

NATOSource

Jul 29, 2011

Turkish Military Leadership Resigns and What It Means

By Ross Wilson, the New Atlanticist

New Atlanticist

Jul 29, 2011

Turkish Military Leadership Resigns and What It Means

By Ross Wilson

Media reported in Turkey late on July 29 that the Chief of the Turkish General Staff (TGS), General Işık Koşaner, and the military service chiefs under him at Land Forces, the Air Force and the Navy have all submitted their resignations.

Turkey

New Atlanticist

Jul 29, 2011

An Effective, Affordable Uncommon Defense, Part 2

By Harlan Ullman

The international environment and its threats and dangers have dramatically transformed from well-armed military forces and states with aggressive and expansive designs to smaller, ideologically motivated groups relying on terror and non-military means to achieve their aims. U.S. and allied defense and security forces must assimilate and respond to these profound shifts. And, while the […]

New Atlanticist

Jul 29, 2011

Iran’s Image Plummets in Arab World, Poll Finds

By Barbara Slavin

Iranian leaders have tried to portray democracy movements in the Arab world as inspired by their 1979 Islamic revolution and predicted that Iran’s regional support would grow as pro- Western dictators fell. However, a new poll by the Arab American Institute shows approval of Iran’s role in the region plummeting since 2006 and especially since […]

Iran
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